Matthew 25:1-13 is a parable that Jesus told about ten virgins. He likened the parable to the Kingdom of Heaven. Of the virgins in the parable, five were wise and five were foolish. The parable’s purpose was to illustrate the need to be vigilant and mindful in our readiness and walk with God. We are never sure when the unexpected will happen, so we need to always be prepared.
The parable is about a wedding. During those times, the bridegroom would go to the bride’s house for the ceremony. Then the bridegroom and bride would go to the groom’s house along with a great procession for a wedding feast, which could last for a week. Selected bridesmaids would be part of the procession.
In this parable, ten bridesmaids (or virgins) took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom to be part of the processional and the wedding feast. Five were wise and took extra oil for their lamps. Five were foolish and did not take any extra oil (some say they did not take any oil at all). The bridegroom was delayed. The bridesmaids became sleepy while waiting for him, and they all went to sleep.
At midnight, it was announced that the bridegroom was coming. The bridesmaids were instructed to go out and meet him. The wise virgins were able to wake up and trim their lamps. They were ready to meet the bridegroom.
The foolish virgins’ lamps had gone out. When the foolish virgins asked the prepared virgins for oil, the foolish virgins were told no. They were forced to go in search of oil. While they were gone, the bridegroom came and those ready virgins went with the him to the wedding feast and the door was shut. When the foolish virgins returned, they attempted to gain entry by yelling through the door. They were denied entry and were unable to join the feast.
This is a parable that shows the contrast between people who are spiritually faithful and ready and those who are not. It is an exhortation to be ready at all times. It of course speaks of the second coming of Christ with Him as the Bridegroom and the Church as His Bride.
In terms of reaching forward, it is important to be ready and have a set foundation to build on. Preparation is the key to being successful in whatever the future has in store. There is nothing worse than being unprepared when your time does come. In the parable, there was a delay in the arrival of the bridegroom. The unwise virgins were not prepared for that delay.
There is a part of me that finds the five virgins who did not share their oil as a little harsh. But, in this case, I think the moral of the story is that relying on the works and faith of others will not get us into the Kingdom. Had the virgins who had prepared tried to share, they all would have run out of oil. The bottom line is that we are all responsible for our spiritual conditions.
God expects us to have our own faith and relationship with Him. As we reach forward and press toward our future, it’s important to be prepared and ready for whatever life brings.
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